Combined one-way clutch and bearing



' De'c. 12, 1944. A. Y.` DODGE 2,365go62 COMBINED ONE-WAY CLUTCH AND BEARING l Filed April 8, 1942 .70" :16 ze 15 J2 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 Adiel Y. Dodge, Rockford, lll.

Application April 8, 1942, Serial No. 438,081

(Ci. lim-45.1)

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined one-way clutch and bearing and more particularly to a simple unit which may be mounted between two races toA reduce the friction therebetween for relative rotation in one direction and to prevent relative rotation in the opposite direction.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a combined one-way clutch and bearing in the form of a small compact unit which can be handled and installed as a unit. Another object of the invention is to provide a combined oneway clutch and bearing in which the bearing and gripper parts are supported by a cage without the sacrifice of space between .the races vto accommodate the cage.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a combined one-way clutch and bearing in which the bearing and gripper parts are resiliently held in contact by a simple spring occupying a minimum of space.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined one-way clutch and bearing in which minor irregularities in the race surfaces will not interfere with the bearing action.

Still another object of the invention is to pro- Y vide a. combined one-way clutch and bearing in which provisions are made for ample lubrication of the parts.

The above and other objects and advantages' yof the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection `with the accompanying drawing; in which- Figure 1 is a side view on the line I--I of Figure 2 of a combined one-way clutch and beary ing embodying the invention;

. coaxial surfaces and arranged for relative rotation. The unit comprises a pair of cage members or rings I2 spaced axially of the races and Furthermore, the small grooves between adjacent convolutions of the strip serve as oil grooves to insure proper lubrication of the bearing surfaces.

Alternately arranged with the bearing elements are a, series of grippers I5 formed with fiat sides and arcuate ends curved about spaced centers. The grippers are adapted to lie at an connected by cage bars I3 which are rigidly secured at their opposite ends to theirings i2.

Around each of the cage bars I3 there is loose' ly mounted a tubular bearing element I4 which is radially resilient and which, as shown, is

formed by a strip of metal helically wound into tubular form. With this construction, the bear-- ing elements may yield slightly radially to acangle to a radial line intersecting each gripper so that when the races rotate relatively in one direction the grippers will tilt to a greater extent to clear the vrace surfaces, while the races rotate in the opposite direction the grippers willv tend to swing to a more radial position to bind against the race surfaces. At one or more points of the circumference of the unita'pair of grippers are arranged `side by side between two adjacent bearing elements and have mountedbetween them a spring I6 formed of a strip of spring material arcuately curved and lying substantially parallel to the axis of the unit. At one.side the ends of the spring I6 bear on one of the grippers and at the other side the mid portion of thespring bears againstthe adjacent gripper urgingthem apart and thereby pressing the bearing elements and grippers into contact throughout the entire circumference of the unit. In this way, the parts are held in engagement so that the grippers will allv operate simultaneously and so that no looseness can occur.

-In order to hold the Igrippers and the springY in place in the unit, the ends thereof are formed with transverse grooves Il adapted to itrover projections I 8 pressed in from the sides of the cage members l2. Preferably, the grooves fit loosely over the projections so that free tilting of the grippers will not be interfered with but so that projections will prevent the grippers and spring from falling out of the unit when-it is removed LVfrom the races. permits an easy assembly of the unit simply by fitting the grippers radially between the cases and sliding them around until the grooves il engage. the proper one of the projections I8.

In order to provide for better circulation of lubricant around the race surfaces during operation, each of the grippers may have one or more grooves I9 formed in its arcuate'working surfaces. 'I'hese grooves together with the helical grooves in the rollers provide passages for free iiow of lubricant when the unit is operating as a bearing and enable the grippers more easily to break down the oil'illm on the race surfaces when they are acting to clutch the races together.

While one embodiment of the invention has commodate minor irregularities in the surface. u been shown and described in detail, it will 'be This construction also I understood that this is illustrative muy and is not intended as a deilnition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined one-way clutch and bearing comprising inner and outer races providing spaced coaxial cylindrical surfaces, annular cage members spaced axially of the races, cage bars rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the cage members and forming therewith a rigid cage assembly, tubular bearing elements loosely surrounding the bars and lying between the cylindrical surfaces of the races, and tiltable grippers lying between the cylindrical surfaces of the races alternating with the bearing elements to connect the races in'one direction of rotation.

2. 'Acombined one-way clutch and bearing com-` prising inner and outer races providing spaced vcoaxial cylindrical surfaces, annular cage members spaced axially of the races, cage bars rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the cage members and forming therewith a rigid cage assembly, tubular bearing elements loosely surrounding the bars and lying between the cylindrical surfaces of the races, tiltable grippers lying between the cylindrical surfaces of the races alternating with the bearing elements to connect the races in one direction of rotation, and resilient means urging the grippers and bearing elements together to keep them in contact.

3. A combined one-way clutch and bearing comprising inner and outer races providing spaced coaxial cylindrical surfaces, annular cage members spaced axially of the races, cage bars rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the cage members and forming therewith a rigid cage assembly, tubular bearing elements loosely surrounding the bars and lying between the cylindrical surfaces of the races, tiltable grippers lying between the cylindrical surfaces of the races alternating with the bearing elements to connect the races in one direction of rotation, and interengaging means on the ends of the grippers and the cage members to hold the grippers in alignment withoutvinterfering withtilting thereof.

assuma 4. A combined orne-way clutch and bearing comprising inner and outer races providing spaced coaxial surfaces, annular cage members spaced axially of the races, cage bars rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the cage members, tubular bearing elements loosely surrounding the bars and lying between the races, grippers lying between the races alternating with the bearing elements. the ends ofthe grippers being formed with transverse central grooves, and raised projections on the cage members fitting into the grooves to hold the grippers in assembled position.

5. A combined one-way clutch and bearing comprising inner and outer races providing spaced coaxial surfaces, annular'cae members spaced axially of the races, cage bars rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the cage members, tubular bearing elements loosely surrounding the bars and lying between the races, grippers lying between the races alternating with the bearing elements, there being a pair of grippers between two adjacent bearing elements, and a curvedleaf spring extending axially between said pair of grippers urging them apart, the grippers and leaf spring being formed in their ends with transverse central grooves, and projections on the cage members fitting into the grooves to hold the grippers and spring in assembled position.

6. A combined -one-way clutch and bearing comprising inner and outer races providing spaced coaxial surfaces, annular cage members spaced axially of the races, cage bars rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the cage members, tubular resilient bearing members loosely surrounding the cage bars and formed by spirally wound strips; grippers between the races `alternating with the bearing elements and engageable with the race surfaces to hold them against relative rotation, and resilient means urging the bearing elements and grippers into contact, the bearing members providing lubricant grooves between adjacent convolutions of the strips and the grippers being formed with grooves in their end surfaces to provide for free lubricant flow therepast.

ADIEL Y. DODGE. 

